


The darkness within

by Fran_KT



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fleurmione is bae, Fleurmione should be canon, Triwizard free fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:15:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27663236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fran_KT/pseuds/Fran_KT
Summary: Abducted when she was a child and sold to a powerful family, Fleur Delacour starts living her life as a member of the noble house of Black under a different name. Little she knows that the web of lies about her real origin would lead her to a future where she's ignorant of her real family and legacy, and might take her to darker paths. Eventual Fleurmione. 2nd b-day gift to my readers.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger
Comments: 4
Kudos: 77





	1. Sakuya-hime

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was the one I started writing as soon as I finished 'Antique Shop' more than a year ago and felt the need to write something completely different, again. As you will see from the first lines, it looks like a long ride, and it will be. I decided on adding a bit of Japanese Mythology on this one so things will be a bit different from canon [you might know by now that I tend to ignore canon anyway] and I will create my own universe using part of what JKR crafted. My only advice, please keep an open mind while reading my craziness, as usual.
> 
> Second birthday gift to my readers.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Mama, flowers!" a four-year-old Fleur pointed at a nearby stand sprinkled with a few snowflakes. It was the beginning of winter, just before Christmas, and the temperature had been dropping, particularly at night. Despite that, the morning had been uncharacteristically warm, so the second generation of the Delacour's decided on taking their children along for a stroll and finish their holiday shopping.

"They are cute, aren't they?" Camille smiled at her oldest daughter. They had been spending some time in a nearby town's market while waiting for Apolline that was buying Fleur and Gabrielle's Christmas presents.

"Those are crocus" Camille explained while securing Gabrielle's legs around her shoulders. The toddler just turned two and was extremely energetic.

"Cro…cus?" Fleur struggled before taking a purple flower "I like it"

"Do you want it, mon petite oiseau?" Camille asked, "would you like to have some at home?" Fleur nodded with a wide smile "then, let's go inside."

The older woman held her daughter's hand and entered the store while trying to balance a bouncing Gabrielle on her shoulders. Since the store just had a few customers, she let go of Fleur's hand to grab some gardening tools. Camille planned on teaching her oldest daughter how to plant and grow her own flowers back at the villa.

When Camille was paying the flower lady, a soft pop was heard but the women didn't pay attention to it. The French witch grabbed the bag with her purchases and turned to grab her daughter's hand just when Gabrielle started sobbing desperately. Green and azure orbs raised surprised and her youngest daughter cried louder.

"Fleur let's go that maman must be waiting for us" Camille called but her oldest daughter was nowhere to be found. Knowing how much the small blonde liked to play hide and seek, the older witch looked for her daughter all over the flower shop, but she couldn't find her anywhere.

It was just at that moment that Camille Delacour left the store and walked around the small but crowded town's market looking for her oldest daughter. She sent a Patronus to her in-laws and wife, and in a matter of seconds Josephine, Antoinette, and Apolline apparated. They looked for Fleur more than four hours straight and the young girl was nowhere to be found as if the young witch simply had vanished into thin air.

* * *

"Here's another one" a tall man with dark eyes stated while placing an unconscious Fleur on a shabby couch along with two more toddlers that were kidnapped. The four hooded men had abducted magical children from their mothers that must be desperately looking for them.

They were part of the _scorpions de platine_ a group of devious traders that trafficked with rare ingredients and species. They normally sold their _products_ on Knockturn alley during the midnight market celebrated on the last Friday of each month when the sketchiest people popped up to buy the most polemic ingredients. Of all the goods, the most expensive and rare was anything related to the veela since they were very secretive and were rarely seen outside their highly protected villas.

Fortunately for the dark traders, they stopped in that small town to buy some provisions before continuing their journey to England when they saw a young adult veela with her two children. Seeing that it would be impossible to snatch the younger one since she was on her mother's shoulders, the tallest _scorpion_ stayed in the flower shop perusing through the wide array of medicinal plants on sale while observing the adult veela enter the store with her two daughters.

The tall man called Avanth Delacroix was a dark wizard that hated creatures, especially veela since her father fell for one and when he was rejected by the beautiful creature, the man went insane and murdered his wife and younger son. Avanth survived since he was in his second year at Durmstrang at the time of the terrible crime. Unbeknown to him, the veela rejecting his father was none other than Josephine Delacour.

There was no way that Avanth was aware that the little veela he had kidnapped was Josephine's first granddaughter. The tall man was simply satisfied by the fact that he had been able to abduct one of them, so he didn't dwell on the little girl's origin.

It was Thursday night and the men knew that if they wanted to get to the _midnight market_ with enough time to show and sell their _products,_ they would need to move faster to avoid being caught by the French Ministry or worse, the veela looking for their children since other men of their group were able to kidnap two more young veela children, one of them was an adorable toddler of around three years old who had long silvery blonde curls that reached her shoulders that they abducted from the forests of the north.

"We need to move fast, or the creatures will hunt us down and kill us for sure" A short bald man stated before wiping the sweat off his fat neck.

"It's the best haul in years, this one especially" Avanth commented while pointing at the sleeping figure of young Fleur "she must be from the royalty since her eyes are azure with a golden hue"

"I think all of them are since I saw that _teinte royale_ in the eyes of other two, too" a skinny man placed his shaky hand on the thigh of a slumbering redhead veela girl "they all look cute, even the little _rousse_ "

"Don't you dare to damage the merchandise with your filthy hands, _perverti sexuel_ " Jacques, the bald wizard spat while shoving the skinny man who stumbled back and cackled amused.

A light blue hummingbird Patronus delivered a message and the tall figure of Avanth looked more menacing when he turned to look at the other two men with an unreadable expression.

"Our border contact is ready to help us cross" the tall witch added before carrying Fleur in his arms "you take the redhead veela and you the little one with lighter hair" when the skinny man approached the redhead, Avanth raised his wand at pointed it at the face of the creepy man "you will take the veela with lighter hair while Jacques takes the redhead, _I said_ "

"Aw, you ruin all the fun" Alexander, the skinny wizard clicked his tongue while grabbing the smallest blonde that was taken when she sprinted towards a lake that was beyond the guards hiding the villa she lived in and ran into the men that just captured a werewolf pup.

The moment they recognized the nature of the young toddler, they took her and apparated. Seconds later, her mother crossed the guards and screamed in horror and despair when she didn't find her oldest daughter. As to the redhead, she was snatched from an injured Russian veela that was killed defending her offspring.

Several soft pops were the only sounds heard when the room went completely dark and empty the moment the most notorious and dangerous members of the _scorpions de platine_ apparated to an unknown location.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, everything was pitch black. Now sitting, the terrified girl jumped out of the bed when the blankets covering her tinted black and started melting. She ran out of the room to find that everything turned into some sort of dark maze. Looking up, she gasped surprised when a sole light was shining in a distant room. The girl ran desperately when the walls started dissolving around her threatening with swallowing her alive.

After running for what it felt like hours, the young girl finally entered the lit room. She stopped in her tracks when she observed how the beam was pouring over a sitting figure of a younger girl. Blonde hair covered her shoulders while her face has hidden between her arms that were hugging her delicate knees. Soft sobs escaped the petite shaking body.

" _Aidez moi_ " the little blonde whispered with desperation " _Aidez moi, s'il te plait_ "

"Are you okay?" the older girl kneeled in front of the blonde that raised her face and azure orbs locked with amber for the first time and the smaller girl smiled brightly when the older one wiped her ears.

Unseen to them, a magical golden threat came out of the younger blonde and entwined with a royal blue one protruding from the brown-haired girl. A special bond was created among the two youngsters when their entwined magical threads wrapped around the blonde's left and the brown-haired girl's right little fingers.

"What's your name?" azure blinked confused at the question since it was in a language that was foreign yet, slightly familiar, to her ears. In a matter of seconds, the dark matter started swallowing the now screaming blonde while she kept on screaming _aidez moi._

A piercing scream made the door of her room open and a worried woman with light brown curls hugged the screaming child that was tossing and turning with tears in her eyes. It was not until the woman held her tight and whispered loving words that the young girl stopped yelling and started sobbing while holding her mother tight.

It took her several minutes to calm down under the warm embrace of her mother. Just when she felt that her daughter had relaxed a bit, the woman dared to speak softly once more.

"What's the matter, honey?"

"Mommy" small arms reached for her mother who held her tighter.

"Tell me, dear, why were you screaming?"

"I had a nightmare" the young girl's sobs started receding.

"What was it about, baby?"

"Everything was dark…" the child hiccupped trying to stifle a sob "…and I was scared because the darkness was trying to swallow me alive…" the girl sighed when her mother engulfed her in a tight embrace as if reassuring her that nothing would harm her "…and then, there was this little girl…"

"A girl?"

"She was so cute mum" the girl smiled with rosy cheeks "with long blonde hair and eyes like two shiny sapphires"

"Oh?"

"I tried to talk to her, but she didn't look as if she understood me…" the girl frowned pensive "…because she kept on repeating a phrase that I didn't understand…"

"What did the little girl say?"

"She said something like _Aid mua_ or something like that" the girl added before new tears went down her cheeks "and then…the darkness swallowed her…and I couldn't save her"

"Hermione, look at me" the woman stated in a soft tone while wiping her daughter's tears "it was just a nightmare, and nothing will harm you"

"But, the girl…" Hermione sobbed softly while nuzzling against her mother's neck.

"She was just part of your dream" Jeanne Granger whispered while tucking her daughter in once more "now, close your eyes and I will stay here making sure you are safe"

"Okay"

"Good night sweetheart"

"Night mum" Hermione stifled a yawn before closing her eyes and leaned her head against her mother's shoulder who hummed a soft French lullaby her grandmother used to sing to her when she couldn't sleep. In a matter of minutes, the young girl dozed off.

Making sure that Hermione didn't wake up again, Jeanne Granger kissed her daughter's forehead before whispering a soft _good night baby_ before closing the door behind her deep in thought at the words her daughter told her.

_The one in her dream was asking for help in French._

_I wonder who that little one was._

Checking on Hermione once more, the older witch undid a charm she had cast on her daughter and her normally brown curls turned softer and lighter in color, her features turned even more delicate and her closed eyes turned amber with a golden hue. Unbeknown to her husband, Jeanne Granger was a veela and her children were half creature as well.

Jeanne was part of one minor branch of one of the three main veela families in France. The _Moreaus_ were a small family related to the Dubois that decided to give their offspring the freedom to choose where to live and what to do with their lives, unlike the main branches that opted on staying at their villas and attend Beauxbatons.

After graduating from Hogwarts, the brilliant Ravenclaw decided on studying in muggle London following being admitted to a prestigious college. It was there where she met Thomas Granger, and both fell madly in love. Jeanne had found her mate.

Three months after graduating from college, the couple got married and exactly a year and a half later, twins Hermes and Hermione were born. Just after a few days of being born, young Hermes got pneumonia and had to stay in the hospital for an extra month. Seeing that and knowing that male veela tended to be sickly and weak, Jeanne dotted on Hermes more while Thomas spoiled both babies. Years later, they tried to have more children, but it was as if they were destined on having just the twins.

Since Jeanne never revealed her magical lineage, the moment the twins were born, the veela cast a disguising spell on them to mask their creature features and _magie._ The witch decided to stay in Muggle London and raise her children along with her husband. Despite that, she had noticed how prone to magic both Hermione and Hermes were.

And now, that she had connected with one girl in her dreams, that Jeanne was sure was a young veela, the Granger matriarch was certain that her daughter would be a powerful witch and a remarkable half creature.

The next morning and with only seven years of age and disguised as French lessons, young Hermione and Hermes Granger started their secret education in their veela heritage taught by their mother, the smartest witch of her generation.

* * *

Somewhere else, scared azure orbs opened when the small blonde woke up from a dream where an ebony liquid swallowed her alive under the helpless stare of an older girl with wild brownish curls and vibrant amber eyes.

"Maman…?" Fleur yawned softly when cold arms engulfed her and raised her from the hard ground of the metal cage, she was placed in. Her curious azure orbs locked with dark ones.

"She's perfect" the one with dark eyes stated with a cackle "I'll take her"

"It will cost you dearly" Jacques added with a smirk while holding young Fleur back.

"Do you really think that money is a problem for me?" the woman glared at the bald man that swallowed hard when the witch's wand pressed against his fat neck "I am not only rich but with a lot of power" the wand pressed harder against the flabby skin "want to have a taste of what I can do?"

" _ **Jacques, don't be an idiot**_ " Avanth reprimanded in French before standing in front of his fat companion "I apologize for his insolence madam, he is just an ignorant and rude man" raising his hands, the tall wizard tried to placate the ire of the witch in front of him "we don't want to offend one of the most loyal and powerful followers of the dark lord"

"That's the way you treat a paying patron, you heard that, lard ball?" the witch lowered her wand with a satisfied cackle "so, let's do business"

"Let's" Avanth added "the price is twelve thousand galleons"

"How about ten thousand?" the witch offered.

"Eleven thousand six hundred" Avanth promptly replied and took a step back when two hooded witches pointed their wands at him.

"How about eight thousand galleons and we spare your lives?" the dark witch stated while raising her wand once more "we already paid good money for the other two we bought from you."

"Sold" Avanth stated through clenched teeth. He knew better than going against Voldemort's people. Besides, they had already sold all the _ingredients_ they had brought but Fleur since the price they were asking for her was quite high.

"A pleasure doing business with you _**scorpions de platine**_ " the witch added in flawless French and the men raised their eyebrows in surprise.

One of the hooded witches took Fleur in her arms and whispered reassuring words so the petite blonde relaxed, and closed her eyes when the same woman cast a sleeping spell on her. After throwing a medium-sized leather bag at the tall wizard, the three witches turned around and apparated with their new acquisitions.

" _ **Idiot, you almost had us killed**_ " Avanth pushed Jacques who just wiped the sweat from his bald head " _ **those were the Black sisters, and the one that almost murdered you was the most dangerous of them, Bellatrix**_ "

" _ **But they didn't**_ " Jacques added with a smirk and a shrug.

"We sold everything so we can relax, now" the skinny man added with a thick English accent. He was one of the few members of the _scorpions de platine_ that wasn't French " _ **such a shame that the redhead was sold, too**_ " Alexander commented nonchalantly " _ **it would have made a great pet**_ "

" _ **Shut up**_ " Jacques spat before starting to dismantle their stall " _ **you should help instead of drooling over little girls, perveti sexuel**_ "

" _ **Fine, fine**_ " the skinny wizard sighed and used his wand to help his fellow wizards.

* * *

The trio apparated at Bellatrix's home in one of the noblest parts of London. Young Fleur was still asleep in the dark witch's arms and just opened her azure orbs when the woman placed her in a fluffy crib with mauve covers.

"Maman?" young Fleur asked slightly confused while trying to sit on the soft mattress.

" _ **What's your name little one**_?" Bellatrix asked in fluent French.

" _ **Fleur Delacour**_ " the child replied softly " _ **where's maman**_?"

" _ **Your name is not that, little princess**_ " Bellatrix cooed while pointing her wand at the blonde's forehead.

" _Cor obliviate_ " a light green glow hit the head of the young French girl whose eyes widened in horror to immediately close when she fell limply on the crib.

A golden threat containing all her memories came out of her left temple and was stored in the skull pendant Bellatrix always wore, making the contract complete after a small version of the same pendant rested around Fleur's neck to keep the spell stable.

Only when both necklaces were destroyed, the memories would be released. In the meantime, Fleur's normally straight blonde tresses got curlier and ebony in color, just like the ones of the Slytherin alumna.

" _ **Your name is Persephone Black, my daughter**_ " Bellatrix stated quietly while casting a second wordless spell so it would be easier for the now dark-haired girl to understand her new _mother tongue_.

"Ma…ma" _Persephone_ opened her eyes and the formerly azure orbs shone steely gray now. Petite arms stretched towards the dark witch that uncharacteristically smiled before reaching and holding her _daughter_ in her arms.

On the other side of the city at 12 Grimmauld Place, the Black family tapestry changed when Draco Senior, his son Draco, Pandora Black, Bellatrix real daughter along Nymphadora Tonks died under mysterious circumstances a few months ago.

In the Black tapestry, _Pandora_ was replaced by _Persephone_ , the dark witch's new recognized offspring of Bellatrix of the noble house of Black, while Nymphadora was replaced by Eudora and Galatea, was added below Narcissa's. All three veela toddlers were now adopted by the Black sisters and became part of their family.

The now gray-eyed girl nuzzled up against Bellatrix's neck and smiled content when the dark witch held her tighter and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Unbeknown to young _Persephone_ , in a veela villa back in France her real mothers were brokenhearted due to her mysterious disappearance and would continue looking for her in the years to come.


	2. Kitsune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Fleur AKA Persephone's first year approaches, she would need a pet fitting a member of the noble house of Black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to my crazy world XD. As I wrote in my last author's notes, please keep an open mind with this fic as we will go into uncharted territory with these three 'cousins' that will end up in an eventual Fleurmione. If you don't know, the redhead cousin is Natasha [she appeared in Antique Shop] and the blonde one is Leah [she was mentioned in Antique Shop] and well we have Fleur, so this will be a Fleur centered fic for this first arc. As you might know, I enjoy writing backgrounds about everything, so you have an idea of what might happen in the future. I am really glad that you guys have liked this one crazy project of mine.

Despite the time that went by, the Delacour's never stopped trying to find Fleur. They later got the news that the first-born of the Russian main veela family along with the Norwegian heiress were also abducted around the same time. Unfortunately, most of the tips they got, led them to dead ends. A generation of the three main families of veela vanished into thin air leaving their mothers inconsolable.

Years passed by, and _Persephone_ grew under the care and training of her _mother_ Bellatrix that spoiled her but, at the same time, was a strict parent. With time, the young _Black_ heiress became the pride and joy of her _mother_ when she was able to perform magic at a very young age.

Now at eight years of age, _Persephone_ was sent to Durmstrang to start her early education. Bellatrix decided that it was safer for her daughter to be far away from prying eyes since she was a _Black_ and the offspring of one of the most notorious families associated with the Dark Lord _._ She would definitely be safer there than in Hogwarts.

Along with her, her _cousins_ _Eudora y Galatea Black,_ started attending school as well. They were the other two kidnapped veela the witch sisters bought from the _scorpions de platine_ during that same night Fleur was purchased by Bellatrix.

_Eudora's_ hair was less reddish, and her eyes were dark green instead of artic blue after the glamour her _mother_ Andromeda cast on her. In the case of _Galatea_ her features were closer in looks to Narcissa's and her hair was now straight and a bit darker than her regular silver platinum. They really looked like their real daughters.

The plan of the Black sisters was quite simple. They wanted to have daughters of around the same age, and since Bellatrix and Andromeda's girls and Narcissa's husband and son died in that unfortunate and mysterious accident, and the latter was not able to have more children, the three grieving witches, in a moment of weakness, saw a great opportunity that night when they took a glance at the three girls _on sale_ during that midnight market at knockturn alley and all of them of magical lineage which was great since they would be raised as _daughters_ of powerful witches and knowing that the three toddlers had magic coursing through their veins was a great plus.

The three _cousins_ were trained properly and sent to Durmstrang to start their early education in the dark arts since that school was the most suitable for their mothers' demands.

_Gray eyes blinked and stared at a now-familiar ceiling. She had dreamed about this room before. She sat on the bed and examined her hands. They looked paler than usual. Her orbs turned to the closed door of the room when she heard a creaking sound coming from outside._

_Leaving the room, the young witch walked through a dark hall flanked by closed doors that she tried to open to no avail. Tired due to the effort, the girl walked to the last room where a faint yellowish light could be seen coming from below._

_The young witch sighed when the door didn't open at her failed attempt to cast alohomora_. _After waving her hand in front of the door knob a soft click was heard, and it cracked open._

_The young witch entered the room and gasped surprised when she saw the familiar face of an older witch that she had seen in her dreams a few times before._

" _Long time no see" the older witch greeted with a warm smile._

" _Hello" the younger girl replied shyly._

" _Oh, I am glad that you understand me better now" the taller girl's smile turned into a frown "I almost didn't recognize you as you look quite different"_

" _What do you mean?" the younger witch tilted her head confused. The older girl summoned a hand mirror and offered it to the smaller child who took it and observed her reflection._

" _I look the same as usual" She saw her gray eyes staring back at her and her ebony curls framing her delicate face._

" _Then, now look at yourself in this bigger mirror" the taller witch took a step sideways and revealed a standing mirror._

_The object shone brightly to the point that both girls had to blink several times. The older witch was now standing behind the younger one. The younger girl gasped the moment she saw their reflection in the mirror._

" _It is called the mirror of truth" the older one spoke softly "no glamour charm could fool it, as you can see"_

" _Glamour?" the dark-haired witch asked tilting her head._

" _It's a spell used to conceal one's real appearance" the taller girl added, "my mum told me about it"_

" _So, that" the younger girl blinked surprised at her azure orbs and silvery blonde straight tresses she was seeing on the mirror's reflection._

" _It's our real appearance, yes" the other girl was taller, her hair was lighter in color and her amber eyes shone with a glint of gold._

" _We look similar" steely gray orbs blinked confused._

" _I think we belong to the same race" the older witch stated pensive "mum told me that I am part veela, so I belong to the magical creatures"_

" _Veela?" the younger witch asked softly. This was just too much information for her young mind._

_The smaller girl let go of the hand mirror she was holding that crashed on the ground and broke in several pieces. Out of nowhere, black matter came down the walls and started covering all._

" _There must be a reason why our mothers cast glamour on us, but I wonder why" the older witch mused aloud "in any case, now that I am attending Hogwarts, I can do some research about it"_

" _What's your name?" the younger girl asked before gasping when the dark matter pooled at her feet and started swallowing her at a rapid pace. There was no escape._

" _My name is…" the taller tried to get rid of the dark matter to no avail. "Hold on, let me get rid of this first" The more she struggled to escape the tarlike matter, the stronger its hold became. No other word came out of their mouths when the dark substance swallowed them whole._

Persephone woke up with a gasp. She sat and wiped her sweaty forehead. A frown appeared on it when she tried to recall what her latest dream was about. She knew it was about something _or someone_ important, but she couldn't remember for the life of her. Only a name came to mind.

"Hogwarts"

_That's mama's former school._

"What about Hogwarts?" a serious voice asked from the door. Bellatrix was leaning against the doorframe with a raised eyebrow and a lopsided smile.

"Mama…" gray locked with dark orbs and the older witch smiled. She really had a soft spot for her dear _daughter_.

"Another nightmare?" Bellatrix asked while playing with her skull pendant.

"I…don't remember" Persephone whispered to immediately smile at her _mother_ "I just remembered that I heard you talking with aunt Narcissa about the time you were in school" the young witch lied.

"Ah, yes in the house of silver and green" Bellatrix cackled in remembrance "those were good times indeed"

"You were in the Slytherin house, right mama?" Persephone asked while jumping out of bed before hugging her mother.

"Yes, the best house of all if you ask me" the dark witch mused with a wide smile "now, get ready while the elves finish making breakfast so I can take you to school"

"I thought Kreacher was going to…" the young, gray-eyed girl thought out loud.

"Do you want _him_ to take you?" Bellatrix asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No mama! I want you to take me" Persephone exclaimed and giggled when her _mother_ ruffled her dark curls.

"I will wait for you in the dining room and breakfast will be served in exactly twenty minutes, understood?"

"Ok!" Persephone shouted before running towards the bathroom under the amused stare of Bellatrix Black.

Fifteen minutes later and dressed in a petite dark skirt, thick black leggings and a burgundy coat, Persephone Black entered the dining room to have breakfast with her mother plus her aunts and cousins, so all of them could go together to drop the girls at Durmstrang.

Persephone tried hard to recall the dream, but she just couldn't remember, as if some force was blocking it. This was not the first nor the last time this would happen.

As soon as they finished breakfast, the three _mothers_ and their _daughters_ went to the Tower Bridge where the young girls would take the wooden sailboat that would take them to Durmstrang. After a few tears and emotional hugs, the three young witches boarded the sailboat and waved goodbye to their mothers among smiles and tears. They would not come back until Christmas, more than three months away.

* * *

Hermione woke up and had breakfast lost in thought. She recalled part of her last dream, but there were things that she was not able to remember fully, and that annoyed her to no end. It was not the first time that she dreamed about that girl, but this time something was different. She was not able to remember her features clearly but her voice.

_She has a soft and sweet voice._

Despite veela tradition of sending their younglings to Beauxbatons, Jeanne Granger let her children chose the magical school they would like to attend since they got invitations from all of them. Hermione opted for Hogwarts and would be chosen by the sorting hat to Gryffindor house while to his mother's surprise, Hermes opted to wear the crimson colors of Durmstrang where he would attend to the most prestigious branch.

Since platform 9¾ was closer to their home, Jeanne dropped Hermione first and then headed to the Tower Bridge so Hermes could take the sailboat for the first time. Right after making sure her son was inside the wooden transport, Jeanne turned around to leave and bumped into a regal blonde. There was something about that witch that made Jeanne frown. Her aura irradiated strong magic but also a more familiar but faint _magie_.

_This is veela magie._

"My apologies, I didn't see you" the elegant blonde stated with half a smile.

"No harm done" Jeanne replied with a lopsided smile. Something in the woman made her feel quite uneasy.

"Cissy are you coming?" a dark-haired woman asked rather loudly. Jeanne turned to look at her and a shiver went down her spine.

_That woman is dangerous._ The veela in her hissed defensively.

"Coming" Narcissa added before turning to face Jeanne once more "have a good day."

"Same…to you" the Granger matriarch replied before looking at the two witches go. An auburn-haired one joined them, and the three witches disappeared in the crowd. Jeanne sighed with relief. Something was not right about the magical trace she felt since none of those witches was veela, but the _magie_ she felt was.

Faint but veela indeed which was rare as most of them attended Beauxbatons. She didn't have more time to dwell on that when she checked her watch and realized that if she didn't hurry, she would be late for work and her boss could be quite a pain.

* * *

At first, the one that had a hard time adapting was the youngest of the three, Galatea since she was spoiled rotten by Narcissa and the blonde girl missed her _mommy_ a lot. The moment she was roomed with her two cousins, young Galatea got used to the routine that her older _cousin_ Persephone followed.

Even the redhead Eudora behaved better under Bellatrix's daughter influence to their teachers' relief that were tired of the redhead's pranks. The three young witches were very talented and ahead of their classes, so they excelled in almost all the subjects they saw in school.

By the time Christmas vacation came, the three cousins had become very popular among their classmates and even older students admired them. There was certain finesse in their movements, some imbedded elegance in everything they did that captivated everyone.

When the holidays were over, the three cousins came back to Durmstrang to continue their early education that was only interrupted by their grandparent's death when they were ten.

Just after their eleventh birthday, the Black sisters took their _daughters_ to Diagon Alley to buy their books and wands and since their school robes had been ordered in advance, they would have to pick them up, as well.

The witches would also make a short trip to the south to enjoy some days under the sun of Greece. The girls loved the beach and their mothers liked spoiling them.

"Here we are, Diagon Alley" Andromeda commented cheerily while her _daughter_ Eudora skipped excitedly around her.

"These two, really" Narcissa shook her head with a small smile while her _daughter_ Galatea wrapped her small arms around her mother's.

"Can you at least behave as you belong to the noble house of Black?" Bellatrix rolled her eyes while Persephone was standing next to her with her hands in her robe's pockets waiting for everyone to regain their composure. Despite her more composed exterior, the young witch was also eyeing everything curiously.

"Where do you want to go first, my princess?" Bellatrix asked her _daughter_ that turned to look at her with shimmering gray eyes.

"Can I get a pet, mum?" Persephone asked with pleading eyes that she knew her mother couldn't resist, and she was not wrong.

"Of course, only the best for my princess" Bellatrix replied with a knowing cackle before heading to the Magical Menagerie with her daughter while the other four still argued about where to go first.

A bell softly chimed the moment mother and daughter entered the pet shop and Persephone felt overwhelmed by the great variety of animals. There were all the species imaginable and the young Black witch didn't know what to choose. Luckily, Durmstrang was less restrictive on the variety of pets their students could have so she can take to school almost any species as pets.

The dark-haired girl walked all the way to the right side of the shop and examined each caged species as if waiting for some kind of sign since she had no idea of what pet to get. She paced the shop back and forth, but no animal caught her attention.

It was not until she heard a low whimper coming from a cage in the far back that Persephone turned and walked towards the soft sound. And then she saw it. It was a small white fox that was faintly sobbing.

Ignoring the ' _dangerous species, do not touch_ ' sign placed above the barred enclosure, Persephone brushed her fingers against the metal bars of the cage making a soft _clang_ that caught the little fox's attention. Tiny ears twitched and its curious head turned towards the witch. Emerald eyes looked back at her before moving its paws and legs to stand. The fox walked hesitantly towards the awaiting young witch.

The pup sniffed at the fingers before licking them and Persephone giggled before petting the friendly fox through the metallic bars. Her gray orbs widened when the cub wagged not one but three fluffy, red-tipped tails that matched the tip of its ears and paws. It was adorable.

"It's said that she favors fire magic users" a female employee approached her with a smile "although that fox is quite aloof and moody"

"I think she's lovely" Persephone giggled when the small fox softly nibbled at her fingertips.

"You are the second witch she lets approach without biting their fingers off" the employee chuckled while Persephone quickly retracted her fingers eliciting a whimper from the sad fox that barked softly to catch the witch's attention once more "she likes you"

"I think she actually does" Persephone replied while playing with the fox through the bars before turning to look at the employee "can I hold her? I promise to be careful"

"I don't know" the employee rubbed the back of her neck "she's very temperamental"

"Hey little one" Persephone cooed, and the fox's ears twitched "will you behave if we let you out?" The pup gave a happy high-pitched bark before wagging her tails and jumping around excitedly "see? She will behave"

"Fine" the female employee sighed before using her wand to unlock the charmed bolt "but if she breaks anything, you will pay for it"

"Absolutely!" the young witch added excitedly.

The moment the small door opened, the fox jumped towards Persephone and landed on her forearm before climbing all the way to her neck and hid its body in the young girl's dark curls while its three white and fluffy tails wrapped around her neck. Only the tails' red tips were visible. On the left side of Persephone's face, the fox showed her head that rested over her front paws.

"I'll take her" Persephone giggled when the fox licked her left cheek in approval.

"Oh, great choice, young one," the shop owner said when she saw Persephone coming "this little one had been waiting for the right owner for quite a while"

"Is that a fox, princess?" Bellatrix asked her daughter while observing her new pet.

"A three-tailed fox to be precise, madam" the shop owner added before placing some parchments and some food for the fox on the counter "they are very rare. The more tails, the older and wiser they are. It is said that they turn into pugs each time a new tail grows"

"How old is she, then?" Persephone asked whilst petting the fox's head.

"According to the legends, each tail counts as a hundred years" the man replied "so she must be around three hundred years old" a high-pitched bark coming from the fox made the shop owner smile "and she's quite smart, too"

"Can I have her, mum?" Persephone asked softly and Bellatrix cackled amused at her daughter's pleading tone.

"How much for the little fox?" the dark witch asked while reaching for her pouch bag.

"88 galleons with food provision for three months, plus all her papers, permissions and certifications" the shop owner added "of course that we will include a carrying cage of her choosing"

"Pricey" Bellatrix mused as she observed her daughter playing with the feisty fox that was now jumping around Persephone who giggled amused "but worth it" the dark witch handed the man the money he asked for.

"You bought her a fox?" Narcissa asked her oldest sister while entering the shop "how is that even possible? Aren't they supposed to be banned?"

"There was a legislation from a decade ago that allowed foreign magical creatures to be imported to Europe and Japan had a surplus that same year, that is why some ended up here which made them legal if they have the proper certification and registration" Andromeda added while petting a nearby dark owl.

"Always the smartarse" Bellatrix cackled while patting her middle sister's on the back "in any case, this fine man has one more if you girls are interested, am I right?" the dark witch pointed at the shop owner that nodded with a polite smile. He knew better than contradict the infamous Black sisters.

"Indeed" the shop owner directed the women towards the place Persephone came with her fox. There was one more cage with a warning sign that the man pointed at "that one there has a male fox favoring the same kind of magic"

"Mum, can I approach them?" Galatea asked her mother.

"Aren't they dangerous?" Narcissa asked cautiously. She didn't want anything bad happening to her dear daughter.

"I think they won't do the girls any harm" the man smiled while pointing at the white fox "as a matter of fact, it's the first time I see her that excited"

"Look momma, this little one is so cute" the blonde Galatea commented while trying to pet a sleeping red fox that blatantly ignored her.

"Hey pup, we wanna see your face" Eudora tapped the metal bars which made the male fox raise its ears and a low growl was heard.

"I don't think he wants to be disturbed" Galatea whispered taking a small step back. Something about the red fox made her uncomfortable.

"Nonsense" her redhead cousin replied while tapping on the cage "he's just lazy" at this, the red fox raised its head and in a swift move jumped towards the front of the cage and if it wasn't for Andromeda's quick reflexes, her daughter could have lost a finger when the red fox sank his teeth into the metal bars of the cage and his now orange orbs shone dangerously.

"Careful there, my dear troublemaker" the auburn-haired witch added before turning to the cage "I apologize for my daughter. She is a bit too feisty" the fox sat and gave a high-pitched bark before growling to the young redhead once more.

"I think I want a cat instead" Galatea whispered to her mother that just nodded and both walked towards where the kittens were kept.

"I guess that's a no for a fox, huh" Eudora voiced, and her mother nodded with a smile "well, how about an owl?"

"That I can buy you and rest assured that it won't bite your fingers off much" Andromeda chuckled while walking where the owls were along with her sulking daughter. After deciding the best owl and cat for their daughters, the Black sisters walked back to the counter to get the food and fill the paperwork for their daughters' pet registration.

* * *

"Boys, we can meet in Flourish and Blotts in an hour to get our books, I need to buy some things first" a female voice added in a slight hurry after leaving Gringotts.

"What is so important that you have to go by yourself?" a loud voice protested "we always do everything together!"

"Mate let her be" a softer male voice commented, "she's just going to buy the stuff you don't care about like parchments and quills, right 'mione?"

"That, and I have to pick up my new robes for this year" the Gryffindor replied grumpily "and don't call me that, you know that I hate that stupid nickname" the bushy-haired witch turned on her heels and walked away leaving her two friends alone.

"What's with her?" Ron grumbled "it's like she hates me or something"

"As I said, let her be" Harry calmly cleaned his glasses "she wants a moment for herself, that's all"

"I don't bloody understand her" Ron raised his hands exasperated.

"How about we go to Quality Quidditch Supplies and check out the new brooms? I heard that the new models just arrived a few days ago" Harry offered with a smile.

"Brilliant, let's go" Ron walked towards the store with the boy who lived in tow "that's way better than parchments and quills anyway"

* * *

"Ugh" Persephone landed on the ground with a loud thud the moment she bumped into a taller brown-haired witch. The dark-haired girl was rushing towards the pet shop to pick up her new pet's tag ID before joining her family to buy their wands.

"I am really sorry" Hermione apologized profusely before offering her hand to the dark-haired girl "are you ok?"

"I am, do not worry" the younger witch smiled and stood with the help of Hermione's hand while trying hard to ignore the familiar feeling towards the older witch "it is my fault as I wasn't looking where I was going"

"Well…" Hermione picked up her garment bag with her uniform and rubbed the back of her neck embarrassed "if you are ok, I will take my leave" the Gryffindor smiled before turning to walk towards the Magical Menagerie. The fourth-year turned to look at the younger witch once more and amber locked with gray "see you around and sorry again" after that, Hermione walked towards the magical pet shop.

"It's ok-" Persephone's smile turned into a frown the moment the Gryffindor disappeared.

_Who was that?_

_I think I have seen her before, but where?_

_She was carrying a Hogwarts' uniform which means that she must be attending that school, but I know no one from there, but she seems so familiar._

_Weird._

"Earth to Persh" Galatea called before waving her hand in front of her oldest cousin's face. The blonde and redhead girls just arrived to find a pensive Persephone. Gray orbs blinked confused before locking with the blonde's azure "you have been standing there for a while, are you okay?"

"I am" Persephone replied.

"Did you get them?" Galatea asked with a smile.

"I did" the dark-haired girl replied before showing her cousins the bag with the ID tags for their pets.

"Let's go then because I am starving" Eudora's stomach growled loudly, and the cousins giggled.

"See? I need food" the redhead witch exclaimed and the three laughing witches walked to meet their mothers and have something to eat before doing some more shopping.

* * *

"That was certainly odd" Hermione whispered to herself while pushing the door of the Magical Menagerie and entering the shop. The Gryffindor could swear that, after bumping into that dark-haired girl, she saw a royal blue thread tied to her left little finger that was somehow linked to a golden thread tied around that girl's right pinkie. The moment she blinked to take a better look at it, the thread vanished.

"What's odd, Hermione?" a female voice brought her back from her thoughts, and the Gryffindor's amber locked with light green.

"Oh, hi Ava" from the time she bought Crookshanks a few years ago, the now fourth-year student had become a regular customer of the pet shop and since her cat had gotten lost right after finishing her second year, the Gryffindor felt it was time to get another pet "nevermind me, how are you?"

"I am fine, are you coming to your yearly visit?" the woman asked while fixing her hair in a messy bun.

"Actually, I came to buy her" Hermione replied with a wide smile while holding a small money bag "I have been saving for a full year to finally be able to get her"

"Oh dear" Ava exclaimed with a sad tone "the girl was sold earlier today, I am sorry, Hermione"

"All for naught" the Gryffindor sighed. She had saved all this time to get that white and red fox when the little pup caught her interest last year and, according to Ava, she was the only one that the picky fox got along with.

_Apparently, she found a more suited owner._

"But there's still the male one" Ava offered while pointing behind her right shoulder "he almost bit the fingers off of a young witch that wanted to approach him."

"I remember him being quite aloof" Hermione mused while approaching the dark cage. Inside, tiny red ears twitched, and a petite red and white snout raised towards the sound of voices approaching its barred enclosure. Sapphire eyes cracked open and the small red fox tilted his head when he saw two smiling faces staring back at him.

"Hey, little one" Hermione greeted the pup with a grin that widened the moment the small fox yawned.

"He is certainly adorable" Ava commented before using her wand to lower the guards around the cage "let him smell your hand first"

"So, he gets used to me, innit?" Hermione asked with her amber orbs locked with the sapphire of the red fox that was now slowly approaching.

"I will only take you if you accept me" the Gryffindor whispered softly, and the fox stared at her for a few seconds before a high-pitched bark was heard. The fox now sat and raised his two fluffy red tails. Each one of them had the tip tinted of the same shade of white as his chest, paws, and around his eyes.

"Oh, he is a two-tailed fox, that's quite rare" the Gryffindor voiced while placed her hands facing up inside the cage. Having read several books on Asian magical creatures, Hermione knew that she had to let the fox decide if he wanted her as a companion.

One thing that she really liked about this particular species was that you couldn't _own_ a fox, even if you buy it, but let them choose you. If you force them, they will flee but not before cursing you and fox curses are ancient magic that is very difficult to break.

"Here" Hermione placed a few berries she had brought with her and that she knew that foxes liked. The pup sniffed at the reddish fruit before devouring it. After finishing the last one, a high-pitched bark was heard, and the small fox nibbled Hermione's fingertips in approval while his two tails wagged lightly.

"He accepted you!" Ava exclaimed with a gasp. That fox was so picky with everything that it was a miracle that he actually decided to choose to be the girl's companion.

"Come here, little one" Hermione grabbed the red fox and held him in her arms. Feeling comfortable, the red pup yawned and closed his eyes. Hermione turned to look at Ava with a wide smile "I'll take him."

"Brilliant" Ava replied before heading to the counter to grab the registration parchments that Hermione had to fill up before taking the now asleep pup "what are you going to name him?"

Hermione looked down at the now sleeping fox in her arms. The warmth that exuded from the fur was as if he had a fever, but the Gryffindor felt at ease with it, as if harmonized with her own magic.

_He definitely favors fire and likes to fight._

"Ares" the word escaped Hermione's lips and the fox's ears twitched in approval "his name is Ares."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short young Fleurmione moment is always a pleasure to write.
> 
> Fun fact: Kitsune [chap's title] means Fox in Japanese which I think fits this chap like a glove. As you can see, I might introduce a different kind of mythology in this fic, and again, be patient with me and thank you for reading. Now let me know your thoughts.


	3. Onibaba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Black cousins get their first wands and hell breaks loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again and sorry for the delay. I have been swamped with work lately so all my fics are having serious delays that I am trying to make up for. This chap has a lot of interesting info and a bit of angst, so be warned.

After paying for all the books, parchments, ink, and any other things they might need in school, the three young witches enjoyed some ice cream from Florean Fortescue's before going to their final destination, Ollivander's.

A small bell chimed when the three young witches followed by three adults entered the wand shop. The three cousins looked excited, and even the always serious-looking Persephone seemed more eager than usual.

"Welcome" Mr. Ollivander looked up and greeted his new customers with a smile "first wands, right?" the three young witches smiled "may I ask which school you girls are going to attend?"

"Durmstrang" the redhead and blonde girls exclaimed in unison followed by Persephone's softer tone.

"Great school, infamous for favoring the dark arts" sensing the dangerous aura coming from the older witches, the wandmaker chuckled nervously before turning to look at the three young girls with a smile "who want to try first?"

"I want to be the first" Persephone stated and took a confident step forward.

"Very well" Mr. Ollivander eyed the girl and could sense great magic exuding from the young witch "talented and with quick reflexes" the wandmaker walked around his shop taking narrow boxes here and there and placed them on a counter near the dark-haired witch "you need a short wand with just the right grip" Mr. Ollivander opened a beaten wooden box to reveal a wand made of dark wood.

"Black walnut 9 inches with unicorn hair as the core" the man handed the wand to the eager dark-haired girl that waved it elegantly. Red sparks flew everywhere and whatever they touched turned into ash.

"It's hot" Persephone yelped and dropped the wand that lit itself before hitting the floor and it shone red as if on fire.

"Um, not good" Mr. Ollivander opened a second box where a lighter wand rested "it's a matter of power and strength so here's a 9½ inches Aspen with dragon heartstring core"

"Pretty" the dark-haired girl took the wand and waved it softly. Blue sparks landed on the floor exploding loudly. Several stacks of wands fell to the floor and Eudora and Galatea jumped away to avoid being hit by the falling boxes.

"Strong enough but too inflexible" the wandmaker mused before opening an ebony-colored box "I think this combination of wood and core is the right one. Dragon heartstring core, nine inches made of cherry" the moment the redhead took the wand, she felt connected to it, but at the same time, something was missing so when she flicked it, little red sparks emanated from it before stopping abruptly. Not even a second later, the tip cracked.

"Right wood, but you need a different core and one that I don't work with due to how temperamental it is" Mr. Ollivander took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose after the other two cousins almost destroyed his shop and didn't find a suitable wand.

"If my assumptions are correct, the three of you might need wands with the same core, veela hair" the wandmaker stated, and the three older witches exchanged nervous glances.

"Where we are going to find those as you don't work with that _material?_ " Bellatrix asked in exasperation.

"I will send an owl to Cosme Acajor in France since I am sure that they might have some in stock" Mr. Ollivander accioed a parchment and quill and started writing a quick note "two wands for right-handed and one for a left-handed, am I correct?" the three younger witches nodded "veela core all of them and with dogwood for the lovely redhead, spruce for the petite blonde and…" the wandmaker locked eyes with Persephone before continue writing "…a sample of apple, beech, cherry and elm to try for the young and brave dark-haired one, just in case"

"We need to go to Paris to buy wands?" the gray-eyed witch turned to ask her mother.

"Um…" Bellatrix didn't know how to reply. Going to France was too risky since the veela might be still looking for their lost children and she was not sure if the glamour the Black sisters used on the girls would be bypassed by the desperate creatures.

"That won't be necessary, young lady" Mr. Ollivander interrupted "I will send an owl, and they would deliver the wands, so do not fret" the three older witches sighed relieved "I will let you know when via owl, as well."

"This is for the trouble" Narcissa placed several galleons on the counter before turning to look at the young witches "how about if we buy you some new fancy robes?" the smiling girls almost ran out of the shop escorted by an amused Andromeda and a smiling Narcissa leaving Bellatrix behind with the wandmaker.

"I hope you can be discreet about my daughter and nieces' wand situation" the dark witch pointed her wand at Mr. Ollivander's neck.

"Of course, Miss Black" the wandmaker swallowed hard "my lips are sealed"

"I am glad to hear that, otherwise I might have to kill you" Bellatrix cackled at the pale face of the wandmaker before turning around and heading to the exit. Just before leaving, the dark witch turned her head and locked eyes with Mr. Ollivander one last time "just kidding" the poor man sighed relieved before finishing writing the message and sending his owl to France. The sooner he finished business with the Blacks, the better.

* * *

A few days later, someone rang the bell of the older Black sisters' home just before dinnertime. Kreacher opened the door to find an average height man with light hair and sparkling green eyes.

"Bonsoir, my name is Louis Bernard and I was sent by Cosme Acajor from _la France_ to show your family some of our wands" the man spoke with a thick accent.

"Come in, my masters are waiting for you" the house-elf replied and led the man to the living room where the family was summoned by Bellatrix after greeting the foreigner.

"I brought the wands for your daughters" Louis opened his magically enlarged briefcase and placed several triangular prism-shaped wand boxes, some were orange, others dark blue and a few were purple.

"In _la France_ we have a regulation that veela clans had to submit some of their hair for wand making, preferably coming from all the main families" the man explained before taking a sip of the coffee Kreacher just served him "since these creatures are very secretive, the veela in charge of collecting the hair by the _Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France_ is the only one that knows each family personally."

"As wandmakers, we only get to know the country of origin of the veela hair we use" Louis stated with a small smile when he saw the interest his words sparked on the three younger witches.

"Which countries?" Eudora asked with sparkling eyes.

"Well, mostly the Northern countries, Russia and _la France_ , of course," Louis replied before pointing at the orange boxes he had placed on the coffee table, "Mr. Ollivander told me to bring wands for a left-handed witch in cherry, apple, beech and elm with a veela hair as the core"

Then, he pointed at the dark blue boxes "Spruce of different lengths for a right-handed witch" and finally, he pointed at the purple ones "and a short length of dogwood for a right-handed as well" the man used his own wand to open all the boxes at the same time and the young witches gasped at the beauty of the wands in front of them. "So, who wants to try first?"

"I want to-" Persephone started to be promptly interrupted by her cousins

"Not fair" Eudora protested "you tried first at Ollivander's"

"Yeah" Galatea pouted, and Bellatrix cackled amused.

"How about each one of you try one wand at the same time?" Andromeda offered "that is pretty fair for all, don't you think girls?"

"Fine" Galatea and Eudora replied in unison while Persephone just shrugged her shoulders and approached the coffee table to inspect the wands.

"Nice save" Bellatrix whispered to her "I was tempted to hex them if they started an argument again"

"They are your family, Bella" Narcissa scolded her "your daughter and nieces, hexing is not the best way to deal with them"

"I agree with Cissy, but you have to recognize that sometimes you have thought of hexing them, too" Andromeda whispered and Narcissa's embarrassed blush betrayed her. At this, the other two Black sisters chuckled.

"See? I am not the only one" Bellatrix cackled once more before turning to look at her daughter and nieces "well, girls try them, then."

The three young witches waved the wands softly and three different reactions happened at the same time. Galatea's wand flew from her hands and crashed against a nearby vase turning it into ash. From Eudora's wand several dark sparks flew and lifted several books laying around before landing on the carpet split in two.

Persephone's wand fired several sparks that rebuilt the vase and stacked the books in a pile, but before the dark-haired girl could smile satisfied, the vase cracked and broke again while the books Eudora's wand had lifted fell with a loud thud on the carpet, and the tomes started spitting their pages here and there.

"Mon Dieu" Louis chuckled "you girls are certainly strong" the man boxed the rejected wands and turned to inspect the ones untouched, "I think that the wood and core is the right one, but the length is the one that needs to be adjusted"

"Longer for you" Louis hands a dark wand decorated with tiny snowflakes engravings and the silver head of a lion as handle "11½ spruce with Norwegian veela hair as the core." The moment Galatea grabbed the wand, a cold breeze engulfed her, and she smiled excitedly. With a soft wave, she pointed at the books laying on the carpet and all the pages went back where they belonged before the tomes landed on a nearby shelf.

"This is the one!" the blonde girl skipped towards her mother to show her the wand.

"Now, I think this will be another perfect match" the man exclaimed while handing to the anxious redhead a thin dark wand with an elaborated two-headed eagle as a handle "10 inches for a right-handed witch made of dogwood with Russian veela hair as the core." Dark fog engulfed Eudora for a few seconds before she pointed her wand to the broken vase that was surrounded by a dark mist before reappearing completely unscathed.

"Bloody hell, that was awesome!" Eudora shouted and her mother laughed amused along with Bellatrix.

"Language!" Narcissa scolded her niece that was now showing her wand to her mother.

"Left-handed wizards and witches are quite peculiar so they need to be perfectly matched or their wands will turn into ash due to their raw magical talent" Louis elaborated while eyeing the wands resting in orange boxes "'as it already 'appened to you, mademoiselle?"

"In fact, it has" Persephone locked eyes with the French man "back at Ollivander's"

"English wands are fine but French ones are more fitting for gifted witches" Louis smiled before pointing a certain reddish wand "take it, I think this is the one for you"

Gray eyes turned to look at it and Persephone felt an immediate connection with the wand. The Dark-haired girl ran her digits down the wood and if felt warmth invading her limbs. Her fingertips felt on fire, but they didn't burn. As if the flaming red wand was calling for her. The feeling was even stronger than the bond she felt with her pet.

"This wand is extremely rare and precious" Louis commented before sitting back on the armchair he was previously occupying "the wood comes from a thousand-year-old cherry tree." Persephone grabbed the wand and studied it "it's the more treasured tree in Japan, the _Miharu Takizakura_. Do you know anything about cherry trees?"

"A bit" Persephone turned to look at the French wand maker "Japanese call them _sakura_ and they symbolize both birth and death, beauty and violence. A hard balance to achieve as the tree represents the impermanence of life."

"Brilliant" Louis exclaimed clearly surprised "holders of cherry wands have prolific lives as the right pairing between this wood and its core would turn the wizard or witch into a very powerful one but they have to possess great self-control and strength of mind to keep a perfect balance in their lives."

Persephone looked down at her left hand and the elaborated design of the reddish wand. Petite _sakura_ flowers were engraved all over the wood and the thin lines connecting them shone in a soft yellowish tint.

The handle was similar to the one of a katana with gorgeous engravings in gold and covered with a thick leather skin that made it easier to hold. Out of curiosity, the young witch raised the wand to see the bottom of the handle and tilted her head confused when she saw a coat of arms that she had never seen before but felt awfully familiar.

"What's this?" Persephone asked and Louis directed her attention towards the young witch.

"Ah, that" the man smiled "pay no mind, it's just a symbol that is linked to the origin of the core"

"So," Persephone pointed at the coat of arms "this-"

"This core belongs to a French veela family, oui" the man interrupted with a polite smile.

"Interesting"

"What are you waiting for, princess?" Bellatrix asked impatiently "try it!"

Persephone giggled at her anxious mother and flicked her left hand. The young witch could feel her magic coursing through her veins stronger than before. She was utterly in synch with her wand. Soft golden sparks came out of the tip of the wand and the coffee table lifted from the ground after Persephone whispered a levitating spell.

"9½ is definitely the right length for you, a perfect match between cherry and veela hair" Louis exclaimed before turning to look at a proud Bellatrix "your daughter is indeed quite talented" the other two young witches glared at him and he chuckled nervously "all of you girls are going to be great witches as veela cores normally react to veela users, so you are quite intriguing, I may add."

"That settles it, then" Andromeda clapped trying to divert the attention while the French man placed the remaining wands back in his briefcase and Bellatrix frowned.

_This man knows too much._

"Here's the amount we agreed on" Narcissa placed a small leather pouch with galleons on the now empty coffee table "and a bit extra for the trouble of coming to England."

"That's not necessary, mademoiselle" Louis replied with a polite smile "although, I highly appreciate it if you give me directions to a nearby hotel to spend the night since I still have some business to attend tomorrow before going back to _la France_."

"I know a place" Bellatrix commented while tapping her right temple with her wand "I can take you." Narcissa and Andromeda exchanged worried glances but kept quiet.

"I don't want to be a bother, mademoiselle" Louis replied politely. He had been warned about the Black sisters, especially the volatile Bellatrix.

"Nonsense" the dark-haired witch cackled before patting him in the back "it's nearby and I had to go out anyways for some ice cream for the girls"

"I want mint chocolate chip!" Eudora shouted before a crash was heard from the next room and a chuckling Andromeda went to check on her daughter.

"Vanilla for me and mama" Galatea added. At this, her mother nodded.

"I can have whatever you are having, mother" Persephone commented before securing her wand on her new holster resting her forearm.

"Butterscotch and chocolate it is, then" Bellatrix cackled before turning to look at the French wizard "shall we?"

"Bien" a more relaxed Louis replied before taking his briefcase and walking towards the house's door.

"We will buy the ice cream first and then I will show you the hotel as it is nearby" Bellatrix commented nonchalantly while twirling her wand around her fingers.

"No problem" the French wizard replied and walked alongside the dark-haired witch that grabbed his forearm before apparating.

After purchasing the cold treat and using a reducing spell to pocket it in her robes, Bellatrix guided the French wizard to a poorly lit street "the hotel is on the other side of this alley."

"Thank you for your hospitality, mademoiselle Black" Louis commented before turning around walking down the dark passage. He was not quick enough to deflect the torture curse Bellatrix cast and the man landed on the dirty ground while his limbs shook in pain. The man screamed while his wand escaped his holster and even the wands in his briefcase were out of reach.

"I am sorry, _monsieur_ but I can let you go and report that my daughter and nieces are…what was the word you used?" Bellatrix asked tapping her chin while the man twisted in pain "…ah, I remember, it was _intriguing,_ wasn't it?"

"…Oui…" the man whispered while trying to reach for his wand.

"Oh, you don't need that" Bellatrix stabbed the wizard's hand with her charmed knife that elicited a pained scream from the French man and his hand started to bleed uncontrollably the moment the sharp dagger punctured a vein.

"Accio" when she had a hold of the man's wand, the dark witch broke it in two and pocketed it "now, what to do with you?"

"I won't say anything, please" Louis pleaded "I have a family"

"Oh, so you understand then" Bellatrix pointed the wand at the man once more "you would do whatever it takes to protect yours, right? Crucio!" the dark-haired witch cast and the man screamed the moment the curse hit him again. "Answer me!" Bellatrix shouted before stopping torturing the wizard.

"Oui, I would" Louis whispered before trying to sit despite his shaking limbs "but-"

"No buts, you said you understood and that's enough for me" Bellatrix added with a cackle.

"Please, my daughter is waiting for me-" the man pleaded once more to no avail.

"You know too much and the only know-it-all I like is _my daughter_ " Bellatrix cackled. "Au revoir, monsieur"

"No, please-" teary green eyes pleaded to no avail. The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he knew what was coming and there was no escape to his fate.

"Avada Kedavra" Bellatrix shouted and the man went rigid and his soul abandoned his body the moment the spell hit him.

"Now, what to do with all these wands?" Bellatrix cackled to herself before casting a quick cleaning spell to erase any evidence before taking Louis' arm and briefcase and apparating to an unknown location.

* * *

"I am back!" Bellatrix shouted and three young witches ran to greet her.

"No ice cream until you have eaten dinner" Narcissa warned from the hall.

"You heard her" Bellatrix chuckled before handing the now enlarged bag to Andromeda.

"Now go and wash your hands. Supper will be served soon" the auburn-haired witch commanded, and the three girls ran to the nearest bathroom. After entering the living room and making sure the girls wouldn't hear them, Andromeda turned to look at Bellatrix that was tapping her temple with her wand a habit she had had since their time at Hogwarts.

"So?" Andromeda inquired anxiously.

"What?" Bellatrix asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What happened with the Frenchie? He somewhat figured out that the girls _are veela_ " the brunette witch whispered afraid that her _daughter_ and _nieces_ would hear her.

"Well, not much" Bellatrix shrugged her shoulders "just had to kill him like the others that suspected about our little girls."

"Bloody hell, Bella" Andromeda sighed "at least tell me you didn't leave any evidence that can lead the Aurors to us, like last time."

"Nope, I _cleaned_ the place up and left nothing behind, in fact," the dark-haired witch grabbed something from her robe's pocket and placed it in her sister's hand "here's his briefcase"

"Please tell me you didn't let him bleed to death like the others" Andromeda glared at the dark witch that just cackled amused.

The last time someone _voiced_ their thoughts about the three young witches' nature was when the girls caught dragon pox and the Black sisters called for a medic to visit their daughters at home since the family doctor was out of the country at the moment.

Bellatrix lost it and tortured the young medic and her male nurse until they stabbed each other to death. They were Alice and Frank Longbottom. Andromeda still remembers the incident as she was the one in charge of cleaning the bloody mess left behind by her gung-ho older sister.

It had been exhausting to keep the secret all these years but the three sisters agreed that it was worth the trouble and they loved their _daughters_ with all their hearts, even if they weren't the ones that gave birth to them. They also knew that their girls would probably never forgive them if they knew the truth, so they preferred to carry the burden by themselves.

"I did not" Bellatrix replied nonchalantly before sitting on a dark armchair and crossed her legs "I gave him a swift death by Avada Kedavra and left him in the basement of your house with a conservation spell, so he doesn't smell nor rot"

"Why didn't you dispose of the body?" Andromeda asked exasperated.

"And let the ice cream melt in my pocket? No thank you very much" Bellatrix replied pretending to be offended "moreover, you know me, I prefer to slash and burn, and that draws too much attention and I rather spend a week at the beach than a lifetime in Azkaban."

"Fine, I will take care of it after the girls go to bed, they planned to have a sleepover here anyway" Andromeda sighed. She would have her hands full for a couple of hours and she was not looking forward to dealing with a corpse, at all.

"Supper is served" Narcissa announced while entering the living room and turned to look at her oldest sister "did you talk to the French man about our girls?"

"More like silenced him for good" Andromeda rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

"I see" Narcissa pondered for a few seconds before realization hit her "is it a mess like last time?"

"No, I didn't imperius him to stab himself and let him splash everything with blood" Bellatrix rolled her eyes "he's in Andy's basement waiting for my dear sisters to dispose of the body." Narcissa's eyes widened and her face paled at the thought of the bloody mess she dealt with Andromeda last time.

"Don't worry Cissy, I will burn him and call you to help me get rid of the ashes" Andromeda reassured her youngest sister.

"Fine, let me know via Patronus" Narcissa sighed "in the meantime, let's go and eat with our daughters."

"Good, because I am starving!" Bellatrix stated before heading to the dining room. Noticing that her sisters didn't follow her, the dark-haired witch turned to look at the other two women "are you coming?"

"Of course," Andromeda replied with a smile. The moment Bellatrix left the room, the auburn-haired witch turned to look at her baby sister and rubbed her arm reassuringly "don't worry, I will take care of the awful part."

"Sometimes I think that what we did when we bought them was very bad" Narcissa wiped the tears from her eyes "but then, I think what would have had happened to them if we had not"

"Listen to me Narcissa" Andromeda made her sister stare at her eyes " _they_ are our _daughters_ and we have provided them with all the love and care we have and that's what matters."

"But-"

"No buts, it is what it is, period" Andromeda stated in a serious tone before smiling "now let's go before the girls skip dinner to eat ice cream." Narcissa smiled and followed her sister to the dining room. She barely ate anything at the thought of the poor man that had to die so they could continue keeping their secret.

* * *

A few days later, the Blacks took a trip to their beach house and while the young witches were enjoying the sun, Narcissa and Andromeda scattered Louis' ashes on a nearby creek that passed through their property.

When they got back to London, Aurors from the Ministry questioned them about the missing French wand maker but they had no proof against them after checking their wands and found no traces of the use of any forbidden curses. What they didn't know was that Bellatrix was expecting this scenario and cast a spell on her wand to avoid the detection of forbidden spells being performed. Once more, Bellatrix Black got away with murder, and the Aurors had no other choice but to leave the family alone once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onibaba, refers, in Japanese mythology, to an old lady demon which I found fitting as a title for this chap, coz you know, Bella and her shenanigans. Did I forget to mention that this fic might get dark at times? picture it as a mix of darkness, angst, and cuteness. As usual, let me know your thoughts in a review, and thanks again for taking your time to read my crazy ideas turned into fics.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: The title of the first chapter refers to the goddess of spring in Japanese culture which in Greek Mythology, is represented by Persephone, ergo Fleur's new name. Please bear with this new way of calling Fleur as it will last for the first arc of the story; do not fret, she will eventually be back to be Fleur Delacour. As usual, let me know your thoughts in a review, and again, thanks for reading.


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